Pucker Up: 7 Things You Didn't Know About Mistletoe!

Show me a sprig of mistletoe hanging at a holiday party and I'll show you at least one person who cracks jokes about stealing kisses from fellow revelers. Everyone knows it's tradition to smooch under the festive greenery but where exactly did the kissing custom come from?

Signs of affection shared under the under the plant have origins in ancient Druid and Norse cultures. But it wasn't until much later—during the 18th and 19th centuries—that it took on its modern-day part in Christmas celebrations. Around this time, British households started hanging mistletoe in their homes during holiday celebrations. Slate reports that in an 1820 story, writer Washington Irving hints at the saucy nature of the decor, writing, "the mistletoe, with its white berries, hung up, to the imminent peril of all the pretty housemaids." But what else is there to know about this festive plant?

Traditionally, folks looking for a smooch would pluck a berry from the sprig and present it as a gift to potential partner in exchange for a kiss. But once the white berries have all been plucked from the plant, its role as a make-out instigator apparently expire.

For centuries, mistletoe has been used to treat various ailments and illnesses. Though despite lots of speculation and attention, there is not strong evidence to support its efficacy in treating cancer.